The Republic of Korea Army and Its Role in National Development

Abstract

he Republic of Korea has achieved remarkable national development T since its independence in 1948. Since the Korean War, which devastated the country from 1950-1953, the nation has recovered from its unbearable destruction, achieving phenomenal social and economic development. Having been transformed from a traditional to a modern society in a mere three decades, the Republic of Korea has now emerged as a strong nation in the world community. During this period the Republic of Korea has also maintained a highly modernized army of over one-half million. The Republic of Korea Army (ROK Army) has successfully performed its primary function as the nation's main defense force. It has proven itself highly capable of conventional war in Korea and unconventional combat in Vietnam. The ROK Army is now providing an effective deterrent against possible resumption of conflict on the Korean Peninsula. From its inception the ROK Army was patterned after the U.S. Army, not only in its organization and equipment, but also in other important aspects, including doctrine, training, logistics, and administration. The ROK Army has, in fact, been one of the most highly developed institutions in the society and a powerful modernizing agent in the early stage of nation building and national development. It is argued that the process of national development in the Republic of Korea has generally progressed through three stages, and that the ROK Army's development has paralleled these stages. With this perspective, the paper